The present invention relates to a pusher-type game device and a prize dispensing mechanism used for the game device.
A pusher-type prize dispensing game machine has been known as one type of game device. The pusher-type prize dispensing game machine includes a shovel which picks up a prize placed on a rotating turntable, a stationary table, and a slide table which moves on the stationary table to approach or move away from a prize receiving port. When the player inputs start instructions, the shovel automatically picks up the prize from the turntable. When the player inputs drop instructions, the shovel drops the picked-up prize onto the stationary table. The prize dropped onto the stationary table is pushed by other prizes by being pushed by the slide table, and finally falls from the stationary table. When the fallen prize successfully enters the prize receiving port, the player can acquire the prize. The pusher-type prize dispensing game machine is particularly popular among women and children as a game which allows everyone to enjoy it due to the simple rule.
A pusher-type prize dispensing game machine has been known which includes a prize storage section inclinably provided above the prize receiving port and a weight member coupled to the prize storage section and placed on the stationary table. In more detail, the opening of a bucket, which stores the prize and is suspended above the prize receiving port, and the weight member on the stationary table are connected with a string. In this case, when the weight member is pushed and falls in the same manner as the prize on the stationary table, the storage section coupled to the weight member is inclined due to the fall of the weight member, whereby the prize which has been stored falls into the prize receiving port. The above configuration, in which the bonus prize is separately stored and dispensed when specific conditions have been satisfied, improves the player's fondness for speculation that a large number of prizes can be acquired at one time, whereby the interest in the game can be improved (see Japanese Patent No. 3372508, for example).
Since the above mechanism, in which the prize which has been stored is dropped into the outlet and dispensed when specific conditions have been satisfied, becomes familiar with time, the player loses interest in the mechanism, whereby the objective of increasing the motivation to play cannot be achieved. Therefore, a novel mechanism is always demanded.